Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on this matter of public importance. I have to say I was quite surprised when I saw the topic, because, yet again, it's the opposition kicking an own goal. Before I start really getting into this, I do want to send a huge shout-out to my youngest daughter, Sarah, who did her first day of work today. She started her first job today. Well done, Sarah—really, very good. We're very proud of you.

An honourable member interjecting—

No, that's not right. There are green shoots in our economy that we are experiencing right now. I listened to the Governor of the Reserve Bank's speech to the National Press Club yesterday and I could hear from my parliamentary office the collective groan from all those opposite when the Reserve Bank governor was talking about how we are starting to get on top of this economic crisis that we've been in—that things are getting better. All those opposite wanted to say, 'Oh no, we don't want to hear that good news.' They just want to keep talking down the economy. That's all they want to do and they'll keep doing it.

Since the pandemic hit, we have seen 785,000 jobs return. Ninety per cent of people who were unemployed, or who had their hours reduced to zero—90 per cent—are back at work. This is exactly why those opposite continue to kick own goals. I know it hasn't been a particularly good week for them. I know it hasn't been a particularly good month for them. They can't even get points of order in question time ruled as in order. These are exciting times, difficult times, but we are seeing some definite green shoots in our economy. We've seen Australian job advertisements, measured by the ANZ, rise by 9.2 per cent in December. That's 4.1 per cent above pre-pandemic levels in February. We don't hear those opposite make any mention of that. We don't hear any mention of that, and it's a real shame.

We're talking about jobs, and one of the things I was before I came into this place was a carpenter and joiner and a builder. This government has overseen a tremendous program called HomeBuilder. HomeBuilder has not only presented the opportunity for tens of thousands of Australians to buy their own first home but saved the jobs of hundreds of thousands of men and women working in the building and construction sector in this country. Those opposite don't give a hoot about men and women working in the building and construction sector, particularly the residential sector because there are no unions operating in the residential sector. But HomeBuilder has saved the building industry. The work done by the Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Housing has saved hundreds of thousands of jobs and the families of those workers. What did those opposite say when HomeBuilder was first announced? 'It'll never work. That won't work'. They sat there and talked in question time, day after day, about how HomeBuilder was going to be a flop; it was never going to work. HomeBuilder has been a stunning success, and all congratulations go to the Treasurer, and particularly the Assistant Treasurer for the work that he has done. The work that he has done has saved livelihoods and, quite frankly, saved a lot of my old mates in the building industry—yes, my old mates in the building industry. That's the building industry that those opposite would have no idea about, the residential sector, because the unions aren't involved in the residential sector. You're only interested in sectors where there are unions.

An honourable member: You've got no idea!

Well, you just wait and see. The unions are operating in sectors, like the industrial and commercial building sector. The same CFMMEU that pays $5 million a year to the Labor Party— (Time expired)

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